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The ROCK Players present…“Need some Powerade?”

Based on Psalm 27:1-6

©2010 David Skarshaug (www.alcames.org). Conditions for use: (1) If you use all or parts of this script in any form, please consider sending a suggested $5 donation check made out to “The ROCK” to the following address: Ascension Lutheran Church, 615 Kellogg, Ames, IA 50010. Reference the script title in the memo on the check. (2) Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. (3) You may reproduce this script for internal use, but all copies must contain this copyright statement.

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Michael:Michael: Father Father Allee:Allee: Mother Mother Matt: Matt: Matt (Soccer fanatic)Matt (Soccer fanatic)Zach:Zach: Zach (Baseball fanatic)Zach (Baseball fanatic)Haley:Haley: Haley (Fishing fanatic)Haley (Fishing fanatic)Annee:Annee: Annee (Softball fan)Annee (Softball fan)Ryan:Ryan: Ryan (CC fanatic)Ryan (CC fanatic)

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Setting: Setting: Family gathers for Family gathers for dinner on a hot summer dinner on a hot summer evening. evening.

Dad:Dad: Honey, I’m home! Honey, I’m home! What’s for dinner?What’s for dinner?

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Mom:Mom: Oh, it will be a while. I Oh, it will be a while. I was at the church all day was at the church all day preparing for VBS. preparing for VBS.

Dad:Dad: Hmm. VBS. Say, that Hmm. VBS. Say, that wouldn’t be the “High Seas wouldn’t be the “High Seas Expedition” Vacation Bible Expedition” Vacation Bible School program at Ascension School program at Ascension Lutheran Church?Lutheran Church?

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Mom:Mom: The one beginning The one beginning Sunday evening, June 27Sunday evening, June 27thth at at 5:30 p.m. and running every 5:30 p.m. and running every evening 5:30-8:00 p.m. evening 5:30-8:00 p.m. through Thursday, July 1through Thursday, July 1stst??

Dad:Dad: Yeah, and packed with Yeah, and packed with new friends, amazing crafts, new friends, amazing crafts, wild games, lip-smacking wild games, lip-smacking snacks…snacks…

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Mom:Mom: Swashbuckling Bible Swashbuckling Bible adventures, and incredible adventures, and incredible music? music?

Dad:Dad: Yeah?Yeah?

Mom:Mom: No…it wouldn’t be that No…it wouldn’t be that one. one. (Pause.)(Pause.) So anyway, I put So anyway, I put a casserole in the oven, but a casserole in the oven, but it’ll be another 30 minutes ‘til it’ll be another 30 minutes ‘til dinner’s ready…dinner’s ready…

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Matt:Matt: (Entering, holding a (Entering, holding a funnel.)funnel.) Did someone say Did someone say dinner’s ready? I’m starving.dinner’s ready? I’m starving.

Dad:Dad: No, it’s VBS No, it’s VBS preparation time. Dinner will preparation time. Dinner will be a little late. Matt, what are be a little late. Matt, what are you doing with my oil funnel. I you doing with my oil funnel. I was looking all over for that…was looking all over for that…

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Matt:Matt: This? This? (Holds up (Holds up funnel.)funnel.) Oh, I’m making my Oh, I’m making my own modified Vuvuzela to play own modified Vuvuzela to play in the praise band at church. It in the praise band at church. It was Eric’s idea! was Eric’s idea!

Dad:Dad: Voo-doo-what?Voo-doo-what?

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Matt:Matt: Dad! What planet are Dad! What planet are you from? Don’t you even you from? Don’t you even know what a Vuvuzela is?know what a Vuvuzela is?

Mom:Mom: Oh, I know. They are Oh, I know. They are those awful horns they blow at those awful horns they blow at the World Cup soccer games.the World Cup soccer games.

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Dad:Dad: Oh yeah! You know I Oh yeah! You know I fiddled with the TV for 20 fiddled with the TV for 20 minutes the other day trying minutes the other day trying to figure out what was causing to figure out what was causing that annoying static.that annoying static.

Matt:Matt: Did you hear how the Did you hear how the game turned out today?game turned out today?

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Dad:Dad: Yeah, Carpenter went a Yeah, Carpenter went a full nine, and the Cards still full nine, and the Cards still lost. You know, you’d think if lost. You know, you’d think if your pitcher throws a 4-hitter, your pitcher throws a 4-hitter, you’d win the game, right?you’d win the game, right?

Matt:Matt: No, not the baseball No, not the baseball game! The US Soccer team!game! The US Soccer team!

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Mom:Mom: Oh yeah, they played Oh yeah, they played for what seemed like all for what seemed like all afternoon, and lost 2-1. afternoon, and lost 2-1.

Dad:Dad: Sounds riveting, like Sounds riveting, like the time we went to your the time we went to your nephew’s poetry reading nephew’s poetry reading event, Marge.event, Marge.

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Mom:Mom: Now, Ed, it wasn’t that Now, Ed, it wasn’t that bad…bad…

Dad:Dad: The soccer game or the The soccer game or the poetry reading? You know poetry reading? You know there were 385 ceiling joists in there were 385 ceiling joists in that auditorium…that auditorium…

Mom:Mom: You counted them?You counted them?

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Dad:Dad: It’s all I could do to It’s all I could do to stay awake.stay awake.

Mom:Mom: I can’t believe it! I’m I can’t believe it! I’m married to Rainman!married to Rainman!

Dad:Dad: Ten minutes to Ten minutes to Wopner…definitely…ten Wopner…definitely…ten minutes to Wopner.minutes to Wopner.

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Matt:Matt: Hey, anybody got some Hey, anybody got some Powerade? I’m dying of thirst.Powerade? I’m dying of thirst.

Dad:Dad: Did you finish mowing Did you finish mowing the yard? the yard?

Matt:Matt: Yeah, and I’m totally Yeah, and I’m totally drained. What is it: 90 drained. What is it: 90 degrees with 90 percent degrees with 90 percent humidity today? Where’s the humidity today? Where’s the Powerade? Powerade? (Grabs a bottle.)(Grabs a bottle.)

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Zach:Zach: (Enters.)(Enters.) Someone say Someone say Powerade? I’m exhausted. Powerade? I’m exhausted. (Grabs a bottle.)(Grabs a bottle.)

Mom:Mom: Hot out there, honey? Hot out there, honey? How was baseball practice?How was baseball practice?

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Zach:Zach: I rode my bike 8 miles I rode my bike 8 miles to practice at North River to practice at North River Valley. Then I realized it was Valley. Then I realized it was out at the complex, so I rode 4 out at the complex, so I rode 4 more miles to the complex, more miles to the complex, and then the coach made me and then the coach made me run 7 laps.run 7 laps.

Mom:Mom: Seven laps?Seven laps?

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Zach:Zach: One for every minute I One for every minute I was late.was late.

Dad:Dad: Say, anyone seen the Say, anyone seen the girls?girls?

Mom:Mom: Oh, Haley went fishing Oh, Haley went fishing at Ada Hayden this afternoon, at Ada Hayden this afternoon, and Annee had a softball and Annee had a softball double header. They should double header. They should be…be…

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Haley:Haley: (Enters with Annee.)(Enters with Annee.) Parched…I’m parched…I’m Parched…I’m parched…I’m totally, completely parched. totally, completely parched. Hey, Powerade! Hey, Powerade! (Grabs a (Grabs a bottle.)bottle.)

Zach:Zach: You’re parched? You’re parched? You’reYou’re parched? You were fishing! In parched? You were fishing! In the shade. You wouldn’t know the shade. You wouldn’t know “parched” if it jumped out of “parched” if it jumped out of the lake and bit you! the lake and bit you!

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Annee:Annee:Yeah, I’m the one that Yeah, I’m the one that needs some Powerade. needs some Powerade. (Grabs (Grabs a bottle.)a bottle.) Why, you haven’t Why, you haven’t been breathing diamond dust been breathing diamond dust from the softball field all from the softball field all afternoon. You were relaxing afternoon. You were relaxing under a shade tree with a line under a shade tree with a line tethered to your toe.tethered to your toe.

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Haley:Haley: What do you mean? What do you mean? Fishing is exhausting. Sitting Fishing is exhausting. Sitting out there, baiting the hook, out there, baiting the hook, casting the line, watching the casting the line, watching the line, reeling it in…line, reeling it in…

Annee:Annee:Cursing the fish that Cursing the fish that stole the bait. stole the bait.

Haley:Haley: Battling those huge Battling those huge fish…fish…

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Annee:Annee:Bluegills?Bluegills?

Haley:Haley: (Frowns at Annee.)(Frowns at Annee.) Fighting to…Fighting to…

Annee:Annee:Fighting to stay awake. Fighting to stay awake. (Smiles at Haley.)(Smiles at Haley.)

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Ryan:Ryan: (Enters).(Enters). Make way for Make way for a true athlete. Cinderella boy, a true athlete. Cinderella boy, Ryan “The Beast”, just places Ryan “The Beast”, just places first in the Olympics first in the Olympics Decathlon. Decathlon. (Impersonating an (Impersonating an interviewer.) interviewer.) “Say, tell me “Say, tell me Ryan, you just finished first in Ryan, you just finished first in the Olympics Decathlon. What the Olympics Decathlon. What are you gonna’ do?” “I’m are you gonna’ do?” “I’m gonna’ get me some Powerade gonna’ get me some Powerade and go to VBS!” and go to VBS!” (Grabs a (Grabs a bottle of Powerade.)bottle of Powerade.)

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Mom:Mom: Okay, “The Beast”, Okay, “The Beast”, where have you been?where have you been?

Ryan:Ryan: Merely on a routine Merely on a routine ten-mile run. ten-mile run.

Mom:Mom: Ten miles? I thought Ten miles? I thought you were trying to do three you were trying to do three miles a day.miles a day.

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Ryan:Ryan: Well, I generally round Well, I generally round it up to the nearest ten. I hate it up to the nearest ten. I hate odd numbers.odd numbers.

Dad:Dad: Well, since everyone’s Well, since everyone’s here, and dinner won’t be here, and dinner won’t be ready for a while, we may as ready for a while, we may as well do our devotions now. well do our devotions now. (Opens Bible.) (Opens Bible.) Today we’re Today we’re reading from Psalm 27. Ryan, reading from Psalm 27. Ryan, please read for us.please read for us.

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Ryan:Ryan: (Reading.)(Reading.) “The LORD “The LORD is my light and my salvation; is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”whom shall I be afraid?”

Matt:Matt: I’m afraid the US will I’m afraid the US will never win a world cup.never win a world cup.

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Annee:Annee:I’m afraid we’re going I’m afraid we’re going to be killed when we play to be killed when we play Valley.Valley.

Ryan:Ryan: I’m afraid I’ll never I’m afraid I’ll never make the cross country team make the cross country team in the fall.in the fall.

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Mom:Mom: I’m afraid…I’m burning I’m afraid…I’m burning the casserole. I’ll be right the casserole. I’ll be right back. back. (Jumps up to check (Jumps up to check things and returns.)things and returns.)

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Dad:Dad: No, no. I think the No, no. I think the point of this verse isn’t that point of this verse isn’t that we need to be afraid of we need to be afraid of something. I think it’s that if something. I think it’s that if the Lord is our savior and the Lord is our savior and power source—our Power-Aid power source—our Power-Aid (holds up bottle)--(holds up bottle)--we don’t we don’t have anything to fear.have anything to fear.

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Zach:Zach: Dad, you haven’t seen Dad, you haven’t seen the kids from Valley. They’re the kids from Valley. They’re Amazons. Amazons. (Annee nods.)(Annee nods.)

Dad:Dad: Continue, Ryan.Continue, Ryan.

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Ryan:Ryan: (Reading.)(Reading.) “When “When evildoers assail me to eat up evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be arise against me, yet I will be confident.”confident.”

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Mom:Mom: You know, I was talking You know, I was talking with a friend just the other with a friend just the other day, and she is so worried day, and she is so worried about what the future holds. about what the future holds.

Annee:Annee:Hmm, she must have Hmm, she must have Valley on her schedule too.Valley on her schedule too.

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Dad:Dad: You know, even You know, even Christians sometimes get Christians sometimes get positively loopy about the positively loopy about the condition of things. condition of things.

Mom:Mom: The wars, the oils spill, The wars, the oils spill, the environment, the the environment, the economy, the culture, the economy, the culture, the young people today young people today (all look at (all look at each other, pause, and smile)each other, pause, and smile)……

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Dad:Dad: But I think this Psalm is But I think this Psalm is reminding us that although we reminding us that although we don’t really know what the don’t really know what the future has in store, we DO future has in store, we DO KNOW who holds the future. KNOW who holds the future. We have the ultimate power We have the ultimate power source, the ultimate power-aid source, the ultimate power-aid (holds up bottle.)(holds up bottle.)

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Haley:Haley: The God of our The God of our salvation, the one who saves salvation, the one who saves us and lights our way, because us and lights our way, because he CAN see the future.he CAN see the future.

Matt:Matt: And the God who is our And the God who is our strength and stronghold—the strength and stronghold—the one who protects us from all one who protects us from all that life brings.that life brings.

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Annee:Annee:You know, I was You know, I was thinking how interesting it is thinking how interesting it is that God has made us so we that God has made us so we can remember and learn from can remember and learn from our past, and live and act in our past, and live and act in the present, but he has the present, but he has intentionally kept us from intentionally kept us from knowing the future.knowing the future.

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Mom:Mom: You’re right, and he You’re right, and he certainly could have given us certainly could have given us the ability to see the future. the ability to see the future. Had he wanted us to be able Had he wanted us to be able to see into the future, he to see into the future, he could have made that as could have made that as natural as living and natural as living and breathing. breathing.

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Dad:Dad: But I have a hunch he But I have a hunch he knew—in the words of Jack knew—in the words of Jack Nicholson--”we couldn’t Nicholson--”we couldn’t handle the future.” Rather, handle the future.” Rather, this Psalm keeps bringing us this Psalm keeps bringing us back to focus on the Lord and back to focus on the Lord and seek him. That focus is seek him. That focus is sufficient for all our fears. The sufficient for all our fears. The emphasis isn’t on the fears, emphasis isn’t on the fears, but on the Lord. Read more, but on the Lord. Read more, Ryan.Ryan.

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Ryan:Ryan: (Reading.)(Reading.) “One thing “One thing have I asked of the LORD, that have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.”and to inquire in his temple.”

Dad:Dad: Dwell in Him, gaze on Dwell in Him, gaze on Him, inquire in Him.Him, inquire in Him.

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Zach:Zach: It’s kind of like all of us It’s kind of like all of us asking for Powerade when we asking for Powerade when we came in. We all know we need came in. We all know we need something to quench our something to quench our thirst, and we talk about it, thirst, and we talk about it, and it’s right there, but we and it’s right there, but we still need to open the bottle still need to open the bottle and drink it in.and drink it in.

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Mom:Mom: So rather than worry So rather than worry about things all the time, all about things all the time, all we really need to do is go into we really need to do is go into the presence of the Lord--the presence of the Lord--which is what the Temple or which is what the Temple or “House of the Lord” in the old “House of the Lord” in the old testament represented—and testament represented—and focus on him, and he will focus on him, and he will quench the thirst of our souls quench the thirst of our souls for safety, shelter, peace, and for safety, shelter, peace, and solitude.solitude.

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Ryan:Ryan: (Reading.)(Reading.) “For he will “For he will hidehide meme in his shelter in the in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will day of trouble; he will concealconceal meme under the cover of his tent; under the cover of his tent; he will he will liftlift meme high upon a high upon a rock. And now my head shall rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.”make melody to the LORD.”

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Dad:Dad: Taste and see that the Taste and see that the Lord is Good. Cheers?Lord is Good. Cheers?

All:All: Cheers! Cheers! (They all drink (They all drink from their bottles of from their bottles of Powerade.)Powerade.)